Power Rangers: Shining Knights
by HornetFreak
Summary: 1000 years ago, the warlock Mordred was imprisoned inside King Arthur's sword, Excalibur. To prevent his escape, the sword was broken, but Lady Morgana, Mordred's mother, vowed to find all of the sword's pieces to free her son. The wizard Merlin recruits 5 teenage nobodies and grants them the abilities of the Knights of the Round Table to become the newest Power Rangers team.
1. Theme Song

**A/N: Lusus here. Welcome to "Power Rangers: Shining Knights." So, I wasn't the biggest "Power Rangers" fan growing up (mainly because my parents wouldn't let me watch it), but I've had this idea in my head for and while and thought it was high time to type it up and see where it goes. However, this isn't the first chapter. Chapter 1 will be the next update. I just thought that any "Power Rangers" show should have an awesome theme song. So, here are the lyrics, and I'll leave the music and explosions up to your imagination. (My version begins and ends with royal trumpets.)**

(Shining Knights!)

Legends have come true. They're charging into view.

They're evil forces are gonna cause pain and strife.

But we will beat them back cause we're able, armed with the powers of the Round Table.

We are warriors armored up, and they will feel our might!

Go go Power Rangers! Go go Power Rangers!

Go go Power Rangers, be our light!

Go go Power Rangers! Go go Power Rangers!

Go go Power Rangers Shining Knights!

(Shining bright! Shining Knights! Shining Knights!)

Go go Power Rangers Shining Knights!

* * *

**A/N:** **Hope this gets you guys hyped for what will come next. I'll get Chapter 1 out as soon as I can. **

**Freak out,**

**Lusus.**


	2. Chapter 1--A Knights Tale

**A/N: Lusus here. This is an OC Power Rangers story. I do not own Power Rangers, nor do I own the several King Arthur characters that appear in this fanfiction. This is NOT a crossover. Believe me, I've made sure of that. This is my first attempt at a PR fic, so please bear with me while I try to feel things out. PR relies heavily on visuals and, if I really try, I can use Tolkien levels of detail to describe every monster, every Ranger uniform, and every morphing sequence. However, I don't want it to come to that, so please be patient with me and we'll get through this together. Anyways, enjoy!**

* * *

Deep in the mountains of North Carolina, the school day was just beginning at Toelcam Creek High. Dozens of yellow buses carried swarms upon swarms of overbearing, overemotional humans (or "teenagers", as scientists call them). The hallways echoed as young-adults chattered and slammed their locker doors. The school bell rang, and the herd of teens stampeded to their respective homerooms. Today seemed like a pretty normal day for Room 21, that was until a brand-new face came bursting through the door.

"Sorry I'm late, everyone," the old British man exclaimed as he rushed to the desk at the front of the class. He placed his things on the desktop and began milling about, trying to get everything situated. All the students just stared at him with extreme confusion. Who was this guy? One of the students, a young man wearing an unbuttoned black suit vest over a solid red t-shirt, raised his hand. The teacher, not noticing him, carried on with his bumbling and muttering to himself.

"Ahem," the teen in red cleared his throat. The old man looked up and saw the boy's hand in the air.

"Ah, yes, sir. You have a question?" the codger spoke as he situated the oval-shaped spectacles on his face.

"Where's Mr. Carlsburg?" The teacher paused as if he were delving deep into the depths of his memory. After an awkward silence, he remembered.

"Oh, right. Right. Yes, that is an excellent question Mr…" he looked through his many scattered papers to find his name, "…Dale, is it?"

"Uh, Nathan," the teen replied, "Yeah."

"Right, then. Well, excellent question, Mr. Dale. Um, well how do I put this? Unfortunately, dear Mr. Carlsburg has been in an accident." Shock rushed over the crowd of students. The classroom was filled with gasps and murmuring.

"Oh my gosh, is he okay?" inquired a red-headed girl in a yellow slouchy beanie and army jacket.

"Not to worry, students. He's very much alive. However, he's suffered many broken bones and must endure several months of physical rehabilitation." The old man's statement triggered more murmuring.

"So, who are you, then?" asked a young jock in a green letterman jacket.

"Well, isn't it obvious? I'm your substitute teacher," the old man answered with a warm, proud smile.

"I think he's asking what your name is," said another girl wearing a blue-jean jacket over a short pink sundress. A wave of realization washed over the teacher.

"Oh! Yes, of course. Where are my manners? Allow me to start from the beginning and introduce myself." He turned around to face the backboard behind him, grabbed a fresh piece of chalk, and began scribbling his name.

"My name is Dr. Michael R. Lynn, and I am your substitute History teacher." The room fell silent once again.

"Very good, then. Now that introductions are aside, I believe you all had an assignment over the weekend. If you could please pass those forward, we can—"

"It was a reading assignment, Doc," the jock in green chastised. Dr. Lynn peered at his notes.

"Hmm, so it was. Can any of you tell me what you were charged with reading? I don't believe I have that in my papers."

"We had to read several interpretations of the Legends of King Arthur," answered a boy wearing a blue button-down with the sleeves rolled up. Immediately, the professor's face lit up.

"Ah, Arthurian Legend. One of my favorite topics. Whose work did you read? Geoffrey of Monmouth? Chrétien de Troyes?"

"Excerpts from both," the boy in blue replied, "Personally, I liked Geoffrey better."

"Oh, come on," Nathan interjected, "Sure Geoffrey was the original, but de Troyes is far more superior."

"Really," Dr. Lynn said, "Explain to me why you think that Mr. Dale."

"de Troyes was famous for his additions of Sir Lancelot and the quest for the Holy Grail: the most recognized knight and the most recognized story. Plus, his works aren't solely about Arthur. They focus on other knights and characters, giving them significantly more character development and exposure. Geoffrey may have created the legends, but de Troyes perfected them."

"Sounds like we have a writer in the room," Dr. Lynn smiled. Nathan's face grew red. He slumped in his chair and said nothing.

"Well, I bet many of you didn't know that there are many more Arthurian tales that were _never_ written down. Only through word of mouth, were they told," acknowledged the old Brit.

"Could you give us an example?" asked the girl in the beanie. Dr. Lynn paused and pondered her request. He smiled knowingly. It seemed as if his demeanor completely changed.

"Yes, I can. Out of all the stories I know, one calls out to me the most. It goes a little something like this…"

* * *

"Approximately one thousand years ago, a great battle ensued on the plains of Avalon. A battle of legendary proportions between the forces of good and the forces of evil. Of course, on the side of good was none other than King Arthur and his armies of strong and faithful knights. On the side of evil: the nefarious warlock Mordred and his armies of nightmarish summoned creatures."

"The battle raged on for three full days. The Knights of the Roundtable were a formidable force, but no matter how many enemies they slew, Mordred just summoned more. Many lives were lost, lives of friends near and dear to Arthur's heart. The King was running out of options. He deduced that Mordred would be victorious by morning. When all hope was thought to be lost, Arthur's trusty court wizard, the great and powerful Merlin, approached him on the battlefield with a solution."

"Merlin revealed that he had consulted with Madame Vivian, the Lady of the Lake, requesting guidance. The goddess obliged and gifted him with knowledge about Excalibur, the magical sword she granted Arthur that allowed him to become King. By using the correct incantation, the blade could trap and house a single being, imprisoning them indefinitely. Upon hearing this information, Arthur raced out to the battlegrounds with Merlin following just behind. With his knights' assistance, they fought their way to Mordred, enacting one of the greatest duels ever witnessed by man."

"Mordred was a strong, capable swordsman and was close to ending Arthur. On his last legs, the King lofted Excalibur above his head and shouted the spell's incantation. Mordred was enveloped in a cloud of mist and was sucked into the blade like a star in a black hole. Arthur thought he won, but the sword began to tremble and quake. Mordred was using his powerful dark sorcery to escape his prison. Much to his dismay, the King knew what he needed to do."

"With the aid of Merlin and the Knights, Arthur used both magic and brute force to destroy Excalibur, and the sword thus broke into twenty small pieces. The King dubbed his wizard as the keeper of the Excalibur shards and entrusted him to do what he must to finish the job. Merlin accepted and magically sent each of the pieces across the far corners of the Earth, making sure no one would be able to collect them all and re-forge Excalibur. His will done, Arthur knew that it was over. He knew that his plan would work, and he would never see Mordred again. However, there was one specific factor he forgot to consider: the Lady Morgana Le Fey—his wicked half-sister, Merlin's former protégé, and, worse yet, Mordred's mother."

"Morgana vowed to Arthur and his people that she would one day collect all twenty pieces of Excalibur, remake the sword, and release her son so the two can destroy the world and rebuild it in their own villainous images. And, with that final statement, she left Camelot and began her quest. She was never seen or heard from again."

* * *

Dr. Lynn continued, "It is said that Morgana is still searching for the Excalibur shards to this very day. Some believe that she has not found a single piece, while others believe she is dangerously close to realizing her goal." The classroom was dead silent. Not one student said a peep. Each teen sat there in awe of the wondrous tale that was just relayed to them. The red-head in yellow raises her hand.

"So, what do you believe, Dr. Lynn?" she inquired.

"How do you mean?" the professor asked back, "What exactly are you asking of me?"

"Do you believe that Morgana is far or close to her goal? How many pieces do you believe she has left to find?" Nathan chimed in. The old man's expression grew dark.

"Well, this might be difficult for you to here, but…five. I believe she has five left to find." Many jaws dropped at his response.

"That's…not good," said the girl in the pink sundress.

"Well, that is just one single opinion. That does not mean that it is a true fact. Besides, it's just a fictitious fantasy tale. It's not real." All of the students let out a collective sigh. Dr. Lynn went back to looking at his notes.

"Now, if no one has any further question, we can—oh, good heavens! I forgot to take roll." The students groaned. Second period could not come any sooner.

* * *

"Hello? Nathan. Earth to Nathan, can you read me?" Nathan was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice the voice calling him. A hand came up in front of his face and snapped. That sure did the trick. Nathan's head was pulled out of the clouds and was back on Earth where it belonged. It was lunchtime at the high school and he was sitting at a table in the outside seating area. On the table in front of him was a tray of food and a journal, which was filled with many writings. Nathan looked up. He saw that the hand that snapped him out of his daydream belonged to the girl in the yellow beanie.

"Oh, sorry Carlie. I didn't see you there," Nathan apologized. Carlie Sinclair rolled her deep blue eyes and chuckled.

"Yeah, I saw that. You were doing it again," she said.

"How long was I out this time?" Nathan asked. Carlie pulled out a notebook.

"Long enough for me to draw this." She turned to a page in her book and showed him her sketch. It depicted Nathan with his eyes closed, deep in thought. The drawing was expertly and realistically made.

"Wow. It's actually not horrible," Nathan teased. Carlie punched his arm.

"You jerk," she laughed, "You're lucky we've been friends since kindergarten, or I would—"

"You'd what?" Nathan scoffed, calling her bluff. The redhead's pale cheeks blushed.

"Seriously, though, it's good. Really good. Really, really, really…" Nathan trailed off as he looked across the way to see the girl in the pink sundress walking by with her lunch. With the way he looked longingly at her, one didn't have to be dumb to know that he was crushing on her. As the blonde got closer, Nathan greeted her.

"Uh, hey Rachael," he said meekly. His crush smiled at him.

"Hello, Nathan," she returned friendlily.

"How are rehearsals going for your show?"

"Good…well, not great, but good enough. The freshmen this year are making things hard for the more experienced performers."

"Sorry to hear that," Carlie said.

"Eh, what are you gonna do? Hey, you mind if I sit with you guys? I think my lunch is getting cold."

Nathan blushed out of nervousness and excitement. He smiles at Carlie and turns back to Rachael.

"Yeah, sure. Go ahead," he affirms.

"Why, thank you, good sir," Rachael said playful exaggeration as she sat down in the seat across from him and Carlie. She was just about to take a bite of her pizza when the three heard a commotion coming from the other side of the seating area. They looked behind them and saw the source of the uproar. A mountain of a bully garbed in a black leather jacket was lifting up a student by the collar of his blue button-down. Nathan furrowed his brows and closed his journal. He looked to Carlie and Rachael. Both of them nodded.

"Let's go," he said. They all stood up and marched over to the bully.

"You told me that paper would be done by this morning, Reinhardt. Now, it's lunchtime and still no paper. You lied to me, Eddie. Do you know how that makes me feel?" the bully growled.

"I-I think I have a pretty good idea," Eddie answered skittishly.

"No, I don't think you do," said the bully, reeling back his fist. Eddie began to freak out.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Take it easy, Brandon. W-why don't we talk this out?"

"Too late," Brandon spat, "No paper, no negotiations." He almost threw a punch when he felt a hand on his shoulder, holding back his strike.

"Put him down, Brandon," Nathan said firmly. The bully laughed.

"What are you gonna do, Dr. Seuss? You gonna poke me to death with your lucky pencil?" Nathan glared at him. Brandon glared back. Neither of the two backed down from their miniature battle. Brandon then rolled his eyes and forcefully backed his elbow into Nathan's jaw. The blow sent him flying backward, making him land flat on the hard ground. Carlie and Rachael helped him up. Rachael huffed with frustration. She ran up and jumped onto Brandon's back and tried to bring him down.

"Leave him alone, you jerk!" she yelled. Her tactic didn't seem to do much. If anything, it just annoyed him, but she held on, nonetheless. Ignoring the fact that he had a girl clinging to his back, Brandon turned his attention back to Eddie.

"Now, where were we?" He reared back and swung at his target. Suddenly, a hand came out of nowhere and caught his fist, stopping it just inches away from Eddie's nose. That hand was attached to the sleeve of a green letterman jacket. It was the jock from their homeroom class.

"Wade?" Nathan thought aloud.

His eyes locked on Brandon, the jock took the bully's hand and twisted it far to the left. Brandon screamed and dropped to his knees, releasing his grip on Eddie and causing Rachael to fall off his back.

"What the heck, Christopherson?!" Brandon yelled as he clutched his hurt wrist.

"Serves you right, Lowry," Wade said. His tone was calmed and quiet, but it was obvious to everyone that his insides burned with anger. Behind him, Eddie was on the ground trying to catch his breath. Carlie rushed over and gently helped him up.

"Thanks," said Eddie.

"No problem," Carlie smiled.

Brandon stood up still holding his wrist. He scowled in Eddie's direction. He stomped toward him and Carlie.

"I still need that paper, you little—" Nathan stepped in front of him, blocking his path. Wade came up behind him. Rachael stood at his side. The three of them formed a wall between the bully and his victim, ready to retaliate if he got too close.

"What is going on here?" a voice came from the crowd. The sea of students parted to reveal Dr. Lynn with his hands on his hips and an annoyed expression on his face. No one answered him.

"Well?" said the old Brit, "What say you?" After a brief pause, Nathan spoke up.

"Just helping someone in need, sir."

"Is that so? If you ask me, this appears to resemble a skirmish rather than a charity appeal."

"But we—"

"I don't want to hear it, Mr. Dale. I've promised myself I would not do this on my first day here, but you've left me no choice." He pulled a small notepad out of his back pocket and began writing demerits, giving one to each of the students.

"Mr. Dale, Mr. Lowry, Mr. Christopherson, Ms. Lorde, Mr. Reinhardt, and Ms. Sinclair. I will see you all in detention." Dr. Lynn looked around at the crowd watching them.

"Alright, back to your business, everyone. Nothing to see here." All of the teens, including the six in trouble, headed back to their respective tables and trays of food. The teacher gave the area a quick once over and turned to head back inside. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw dark clouds in the distance, floating menacingly over the pine-covered mountains. He could hear the faint rumbling of thunder.

_"The storm is coming," _the old man thought to himself, _"Won't be long, now."_

* * *

On the outskirts of Toelcam Creek, the clouds hovered over a small two-lane road. A cloaked figure walked by itself along the dashed yellow line. The figure approached a large road sign.

_"Welcome to Toelcam Creek: A Magical Place."_

The cloaked figure lifted its hands and removed the hood covering its face. Underneath was a beautiful middle-aged woman. She had extremely pale skin, long dark hair, and glowing yellow eyes. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The blood veins in her face began to glow a lime green.

"They're here," the woman said aloud, "I can feel them." She looked to her left and to her right. As if they appeared out of thin air, a total of twelve horrifying monsters stood beside her, each one only slightly resembling some sort of mystical creature of legend. The woman chuckled villainously and walked across the town line. Her generals followed just behind.

Lady Morgana Le Fey had arrived.

* * *

**A/N: And there you have it. I hope you guys liked what you read. If you did, give us a follow or a review. And if you do decide to review, please be gentle...or don't.**

**Freak out,**

**Lusus**


	3. Chapter 2--Camelot Is Key

**A/N: Lusus here. I am so **_**incredibly **_**sorry for the 2-month wait. School has not been kind to me this semester. I barely found any time to write whatsoever. But my finals are now done and over with, so I am ready for a full summer of writing and banging out more chapters for you guys to read. Now without further ado, enjoy Part 2!**

* * *

_CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!_

The sound of metal hitting metal echoed throughout the spacious chamber. The entire place would have been fully blanketed in darkness had it not been for the orange glow of a fire in the corner of the room. The light revealed the shapes of hammers, tongs, and other metalworking tools, as well as outlining the silhouette of a short figure standing over an anvil. The figure appeared to be wielding a hammer. He lofted it over his head and repeatedly struck a red-hot piece of steel, sending sparks flying every which way.

"Hurry, my friend. We haven't much time," a voice called out through the blackness.

"D'you want it done fast or d'you want it done right? There is no in-between," the blacksmith answered. Upon finishing his sentence, the smith took a pair of tongs, grabbed the metal off the anvil, and plunged the piece into a nearby bucket of water, quenching it.

"Besides," the smith continued as he pulled his project out of the water, "this is the last one."

Several minutes went by as the craftsman assembled his final product piece by piece. After one last tap from his hammer, the project was complete.

"That should do it." The blacksmith gently picked up his creation and showed it to his partner. Suddenly, a sparkling pale-blue aura enveloped the product, causing it to levitate out of the smith's hands and float to the center of the chamber. The other figure reached out his hand and waved it as if he was guiding the contraption. Eventually, the item was landed on the flat surface of a table, right next to four other pieces that looked nearly identical to it. The second figure stood over the five devices with a book in his hands. He hastily flipped through the pages and suddenly stopped. He took a breath and concentrated. After several moments of silence (save for the gentle flickering of the blacksmith's fire) the one holding the book finally spoke.

"Memories can be powerful, both the good ones and the bad. Not only do they make us laugh and cry, but they also teach us valuable lessons that we can apply to our ever-changing lives. Although it was necessary, the decision I made to refashion their possession still saddens me. Now, all we have left of our friends are our memories of them. Luckily, those memories will serve us just fine." The figure held his hand over the five inventions in front of him. They all simultaneously began to tremble. The man continued.

"Therefore, I endow these devices with the memories of our friends, the Knights, each one to their own possession. May they be of incredible use to their new wielders." Out of the book came five glowing wisps of magic, each one a different color: yellow, green, pink, blue, and red. These auras fell over their respective inventions and completely absorbed them into their mists. The figure then cast some of his own magical aura onto the pieces, making each of their colors intensify.

"Search for individuals with mindsets and values similar to the Knights whose memories you carry. May they use you wisely and with honor, for they will be our new champions. Our modern-day knights." The color-coded mists began to fly swiftly into their air, seemingly out of the chamber. The two silhouettes watched on as they flew.

"Our…Power Rangers."

* * *

The mists shot up into the starry night sky like rockets soaring into space. They reached their peaks and collectively flew as a group into the depths of the sleeping little town below. In a tight, synchronized formation, the rainbow of mists weaved their way through the streets of Toelcam Creek, flying over and in-between houses and yards. After one final turn, they approached their destination: the high school.

The misty lights charged at the front door of the building and they magically phased right through it into the dark locker-filled hallways. It was then when the mists diverged. They each went their own separate ways and flew in opposite directions. The whole school was lit up with multi-colored light as the five veils of mist sped up and down the halls in different locations in the school. Suddenly, they stopped. Dead in their tracks. Each mist hovered in front of a locker, one supposedly belonging to their gadget's new wielder. One by one, the color-coded clouds passed through their respective locker doors, illuminating the interior with their specific color. After one final flash of light, the colors faded into blackness. The night was calm and dark once again.

In the darkness, a lone figure watched from the trees on the edge of town. Morgana looked on as the rainbow of lights finally died down inside the school. She narrowed her golden eyes and scowled. In a huff, she turned and retreated into the depths of the forest. She hiked through the brush for about a mile until she came across what looked to be an old, abandoned mineshaft. The entrance appeared to have caved in decades ago, as boulders and other debris thoroughly blocked the way inside. Without a second thought, the sorceress made a beeline for the mine. Once she neared the entrance, she waved her hand. Suddenly, the boulders blocking the shaft began to glow with an eerie deep green hue. What could only be described as a portal opened up in the place of the rocks. The entrance wasn't caved-in. It was merely an illusion. Morgana stepped through the portal into the mineshaft. Once inside, the portal closed behind her.

The interior of the shaft was not what one would expect to see in a mine. Rather than being a nasty, dirty, wet hole filled with worms and oozy smells, Morgana was met with a long, well-lit stone corridor, similar to one inside a medieval castle. She strolled down the hallway and finally reached her destination: her lair, a mobile headquarters she liked to call the Sanctum of Sorcery. Upon entering the Sanctum, Morgana was met with the grotesque faces of her generals, who were eagerly waiting for her arrival.

"It's just as I expected," Morgana began, "The wizard has beaten us here." The generals angrily muttered amongst themselves.

"You are certain?" asked a gargoyle-like monster.

"I witnessed his magic firsthand. He's here."

"Like it makes any difference. We've gone against him time and time again, and we have always remained victorious," a goblin chimed in.

"Yeah, we shouldn't be worried about him," a minotaur agreed.

"What you say is true, but I feel this time is different. I have no earthly idea what the old man is planning, even after seeing his magic," Morgana explained.

"What should we do then?" asked a wolfman.

"Until we know more, we continue as planned, starting with getting a lay of the land. Earth-Walker, that's where you come in. Do what you must to learn all you can about the town."

"Of course, my lady," answered a sasquatch-like creature adorned with a plethora of vines and roots. He turned on his heel and started for the door. The gargoyle general spoke up.

"Earth-Walker, wait. Take some forces from my legion. You might need them."

"That is a kind offer, Gollumus, but they are yours. It would not be right."

"My army is limitless. For what they lack in individual strength, they make up for in infinite numbers. Please, take some. It'll be no skin off my nose," Gollumus insisted.

The sasquatch paused. After a brief moment, he answered, "Very well. Thank you, my friend."

"Then it's settled, Now go, Earth-Walker. Find where those pieces might be hiding," commanded Morgana. Earth-Walker bowed again and made for the exit.

"Oh, and Earth-Walker, don't let anyone stand in your way," Morgana added.

The sasquatch chuckled, "As always, my lady."

* * *

The next morning, those once dark and empty halls we yet again filled to the brim with students. With his nose practically attached to the pages of his journal, Nathan leisurely shuffled through the front door, the pencil in his hand moving faster than his feet. Without looking up, he turned and attempted to make his way to his locker, which was made difficult due to the massive herd standing in his way.

"Excuse me. Sorry. Don't mind me," he apologized as he walked on. However, no matter how polite he was, no one would move out of his way. Much to his frustration, Nathan was forced to close his journal and push his way through the crowd. That sure did the trick. After fiddling with his combination lock for a quick moment, he opened the door, expecting to see the usual belongings he had stored in it. However, what he saw in there definitely did not belong.

Lying on the floor of his locker was…a watch?

"What the heck?" Nathan thought aloud. He reached in and picked it up to take a closer look. The design of the timepiece itself was simple, yet sturdy. Nothing about it was overly fancy or luxurious. Nearly every part of the watch was colored black, including the leather wrist band. The only bit that wasn't black was the analog face, which was exhibited a pleasing crimson red tint.

Nathan looked back to where he picked up the watch. He saw a small piece of paper in its place as if it just manifested out of thin air. (Either that, or he just didn't notice it before.) Nathan grabbed the paper and saw that it was a written note. Nathan read aloud:

"_Congratulations. You have been chosen…"_

* * *

"…_to join the European Humanities Appreciation Club." _

Eddie read from the same note. He also held a watch. The only difference between this one and Nathan's was the color of the face. Instead of red, the face on Eddie's watch was colored with a deep blue.

* * *

"_Please take this complementary watch as a badge of your new membership."_

"Sweet. Free watch," said Wade as he put the timepiece on his wrist. It fit him perfectly. His watch also looked similar to Nathan and Eddie's, except his watch face had a dark green hue.

* * *

Rachael admired the sight of her watch on her wrist. The hot pink face was truly accentuated by the shiny black of the rest of the watch. She turned back to her note and continued reading.

"_Our first meeting will take place downtown at the Toelcam Creek Library…"_

* * *

Carlie read on as she wore her own watch, which displayed a golden yellow face.

"_Come as soon as school lets out for the day with this piece of information…"_

_"…Camelot is the key."_

* * *

The Toelcam Creek Library: one of the biggest staples of the entire town and the largest library in the county.

"_Of course, a club centered around European culture would meet here," _Carlie thought as she climbed the stone steps in front of the building. She opened the door and walked inside. The inside of the library always amazed her. The place was massive. Shelves upon shelves of books new and old lined every wall. Each time she entered the library, she kept relearning why Nathan loved this place so much. Ahead of the entrance, a bespectacled librarian sat bored behind a large wooden desk. The woman looked up and stared at Carlie for a brief moment. She then waved her hand, beckoning her to come over. Carlie complied and approached her.

"I take it you're here for the European Humanities Club?" asked the librarian.

"Yeah," answered Carlie, "How did you—"

"I've been asked about it all day. You'll find them in the Fantasy section." The librarian pointed to the far corner of the building.

"Umm, okay. Thanks." Carlie turned and walked in the direction the woman was pointing. As she drew nearer to the corner, she could feel the air getting colder by the second. It's almost as if the sections on this side of the library have not been inhabited for centuries. It's like everybody just up and stopped liking the fantasy genre all of a sudden. Carlie shook the ridiculous thought out of her head.

"Of course everybody likes fantasy," she said to herself. But that did not stop her from wondering why this section was so empty. She rounded a bookshelf into a small reading area, where she was promptly greeted with some familiar faces. In front of her was a table. Sitting at the table were Nathan, Eddie, Wade, and Rachael. They all stared at her as she turned the corner.

"Carlie?" Nathan said in surprise, "You got one, too?" Carlie lifted up her wrist and showed the group her yellow-face watch. The others held up their wrists, displaying their watches.

"Huh, how weird is that?" Carlie chuckled.

"So weird," Rachael piped, "I mean, the last time all of us were together was when we stood up to Brandon yesterday."

"Well, you guys did. I was a bit busy getting my butt handed to me," Eddie shrugged.

"Come on, man. Don't beat yourself up about that," Nathan patted him on the shoulder, "You stood up to him just like the rest of us."

"You and I remember that moment very differently," Eddie returned.

"So, anybody know who's running this? Cause if we don't get this thing started soon, there's somewhere else I gotta be," Wade asked impatiently.

"Then why even come here in the first place?" asked Rachael.

"Same as you," he replied, "Curiosity." Rachael rolled her eyes.

"Maybe the one in charge wants to make a dramatic entrance," Carlie suggested.

"Either that or jump scare us," Eddie added.

Nathan stood up from his seat, "Well, in that case, they've got to be nearby. Why don't we spread out and look? Maybe ask around until we find them."

Everyone looked at each other. They collectively shrugged and stood up. They then separated and delved into the many book-laden aisles that surrounded them.

Rachael peeked around a shelf into a nearby aisle.

Nothing.

Eddie checked the computer area.

Zip.

Carlie searched the kid's section.

Zilch.

Nathan looked by the front door.

Nada.

After failing to find the club's leader, they each reconvened back at the table in the fantasy section.

"Find anything?" Nathan asked them. Eddie, Carlie, and Rachael shook their heads in frustration. Nathan looked around.

"Where's Wade?"

"Hey, guys. Over here." A whispered yell comes from a few aisles over. The four practically sprint to Wade's position. He was near the back wall of the building. They find him staring at a bookshelf.

"The librarian decided to be smart," he pointed at a line of books. They all take a closer look and see that the first letters of each book title spell out the name of their town: Toelcam.

"Well, that's…cool I guess," Eddie nodded awkwardly.

"Yeah, see? Look. T-O-E-L-C-A-M." As he spelled, Wade pushed the books further into the shelf with his finger.

"Wade, it's great that you know how to spell, but you're not helping," Carlie rebuked.

"Hey, I just—" Wade was interrupted by the cranking of shifting gears. With a _clunk_, the books that Wade pushed in were pushed back out to where they originally were. All five teens stared timidly at the books, eyes wider than saucers. None of them moved a single muscle.

"Did anybody else just see that?" Nathan asked.

"You mean the books moving back to their spots with the help of some unseen mechanical apparatus?" Eddie asked, "No."

"Wade," started Rachael, "What did you do?"

"Nothing, I just went like this—" Spelling out Toelcam again, he pressed the books inward a second time. They all watched as the books popped back out.

"Okay, this is getting weird," said Carlie. "Should we tell somebody or…?"

"What do you expect a librarian to do with something like this? Shush it?" Wade criticized. Everyone started arguing, bickering back and forth at each other. The only person that stayed silent was Eddie, who was glaring intensely at the line of books. Suddenly, a thought popped into his head. His eyes widened. He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out his club invitation. Eddie opened up the folded note and did double takes between it and the books.

"Uhh, guys," Eddie said. None of the others paid him any attention. They kept on with their heated discussion.

"Guys?" Still, no one responded.

"GUYS!" Eddie yelled.

"_SHHHHHHH!"_ The entire library punished him for his disturbance. He definitely got their attention now.

"What's up, Eddie?" Nathan asked.

"Do you guys remember the last bit of our invitations? How it said for us to remember something?"

"Yeah," Rachael answered, "It said _'Camelot is Key' _or something like that. What's your point?"

"Well, have you ever noticed that if you rearrange the letters in 'Toelcam'…"

Nathan's eyes widen with realization, "You get 'Camelot'," he finished. He looked over at Wade. The two nodded to each other and Wade turned to the books. He began to slowly push them farther into the shelf, spelling out loud. The rest of the group looked on cautiously as he did so.

"C…A…M…E…L…O…T…"

After first, nothing happened. No shifting gears. No machine noises. No movement. The teens collectively let out a breath. Suddenly, the letters began to glow with a pale blue light. The entire bookshelf trembled. The structure split down the middle, opening like doors into the wall behind it, revealing what appeared to be some kind of portal. The gateway shined upon the teens as they stared in complete astonishment. After a moment of silence, Rachael was the first to speak.

"So," she began, "who wants to go through the creepy portal-thing first?"

No one responded They just stood there with expressions of shock and confusion. In front of them, the portal continued to glow with a mystical brilliancy, and she had the audacity to talk about going through it. How could she even suggest such a thing?

"Anyone? Bueller?" Rachael asked.

"Are you nuts?" questioned Carlie, "We have no idea if this thing is even safe."

"Yeah, for all we know, we could be vaporized," Eddie added.

Wade chimed in, "Guys, come on. It's a portal. I've seen enough movies to know what portals do."

"But this isn't a movie, Wade," Carlie rebuked him.

"I say we go in," Rachael suggested.

"Seconded," Wade agreed.

"What do you think, Nathan?" Carlie asked. They looked over to where Nathan was standing. He stood directly in front of the entryway, staring into the light.

"Nathan?"

Without averting his gaze, he answered, "You guys might wanna see this." The others gathered around him. They watched on as the portal's sky-blue light began to fade, revealing the image of what appeared to be a spacious room. The entirety of the place looked like it belonged to a castle, as nearly every structure was constructed from chiseled stone. In the center of the chamber stood a large circular table, which was bathed in a radiant golden light.

Nathan gulped and carefully raised his hand up to the portal. His friends looked on as he did so. None of them attempted to stop him. Nathan's fingers brushed the entrance. It was like sticking his hand in a pool of water. His hand jerked back at the strange feeling. Thankfully, his appendage appeared to be unharmed. He reached out again, this time thrusting his hand deeper into the portal. He could see his hand clearly on the other side. Taking a deep breath, Nathan closed his eyes and stepped forward. Following his hand, he submerged himself in the portal and walked straight through it. When he opened his eyes, he was in the chamber that he saw through the gateway. After checking his person to ensure he was not hurt, he turned around and saw his friends still in the library. He nodded to them and beckoned them to follow. One by one, the teens slowly and cautiously made their ways through the entrance. Once inside, the bookshelf that housed the portal slowly closed, once again hiding the gateway from the outside world.

The five teens got a better look at their new surroundings. Gathering around the central table, they peered around the chamber to fully determine where they were whisked off to, but none of them could put their finger on it. Many weapon-racks covered nearly every inch of the four walls. Arms of all kinds adorned the racks, ranging from swords and daggers to polearms and flails. Accompanying the weapons were several plaques sporting shields of all shapes and sizes.

Their gaze followed the displays of armaments to one corner of the room, where they spotted what looked to be a forge of sorts, complete with an anvil, a workbench, and a grindstone, as well as a massive framework exhibiting many metalworking tools. Directly opposite the forge was a miniature library with a huge ornate desk as a centerpiece. The ten or so bookshelves surrounding the desk were overflowing with so many books that many of the tomes were piled in stacks scattered around the area. As the teens stared with amazement at this marvel of a sanctuary, a voice echoed from behind them.

"Oh. Good. You're here. I was beginning to think you didn't understand my riddle." They all whipped around to see the man standing there exhibiting an expression of both surprise and amusement.

"Well. If it isn't the ones that I gave detention yesterday," he said.

"Dr. Lynn?" said Nathan.

"Hello, students," the old Brit greeted.

"You're the one in charge of the European Humanities Club?" asked Eddie.

He cleared his throat. "In a sense," Dr. Lynn answered as he adjusted his glasses.

"What is this place?" inquired Rachael.

"More importantly, _where_ is this place?" Carlie added.

"Yeah, and what's with the portal thing?" Wade asked.

"Don't worry," Dr. Lynn said, "All of your questions will be answered in due time. But first, let me start by welcoming you…to the Armory."

* * *

**A/N: Again, I apologize profusely for the lateness of this chapter. We will get to the power-packed action soon, I promise. As always, if you like what I'm putting out, give us a follow or a review. **

**Freak out,**

**Lusus**


	4. Chapter 3--To Arms!

**A/N: Lusus here. For those of you who have read Chapter 2 before this entry came out, a few changes were made. As I was writing, I found this chapter to be twice the word count of its predecessor. Therefore, to compensate, I added about 700 extra words to Chapter 2. So, to prevent you from getting lost, I urge you to go back to the scene where the five find the portal in the library and read on from there. I apologize for the inconvenience. However, if this is your first time reading and didn't even know about the change in the first place, then don't worry about it. Enjoy my friends!**

* * *

"The Armory, huh?" Wade smirked, "That's a little on the nose don't you think, Doc?" The teacher ignored him and continued to speak.

"I am delighted that you all made it. We have much to discuss. First and foremost, do you all have the watches I gave you?" To answer his question, all five of them raised their wrists to show off their timepieces.

"Excellent. Then let's get things started with introductions. That is, unless you all know each other already."

"For the most part, yeah," Rachael replied.

"Very well. Then I shall introduce myself. Hello, my name is—"

"Dr. Michael R. Lynn. We know. We're all in your homeroom class," Carlie huffed.

"Oh yes, that's right. I told you all that tale about the Excalibur shards."

"Don't remind me," said Nathan, "I'm _still _having nightmares about it." Dr. Lynn chuckled.

"You know, that reminds me. Did you all know that King Arthur was a real person in history?"

"Yeah, it's pretty much common knowledge," Eddie returned. The professor cocked an eyebrow. His attitude seemed to change like it did in class the day before. Rather than being his usual scatterbrained self, he appeared to have become more serious in a matter of a seconds.

"Really?" he said cockily, "What if I told you that that story is actually real? That _all_ of the fantastical tales of King Arthur and his knights are, in fact, real?" The students looked at each other. Mild expressions of shock were mixed into their confusion.

"Personally, I'd think you're nuts," Wade replied.

"Dude, we literally just walked through a magical portal," Carlie said.

"I know what I said," Wade responded, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Wait. Dr. Lynn, how would _you _know that the legends are real?" asked Rachael, "We learned in class they were fictitious stories, not actual history." The old man took a breath.

"I know…because I was there." The teens paused for a moment. They then burst out laughing.

"Come on. Don't be so hard on yourself. You're not _that_ old," Eddie complemented.

"What I say to you is true. I have lived with, dined with, and fought alongside King Arthur himself."

"Yeah. Sure, you did, Gandalf," mocked Wade.

Dr Lynn cocked his eyebrow, "Detention."

"Aww."

"It amazes me that you all have solved my bookcase riddle but still have yet to deduce my _true_ identity. I'm not exactly brimming with subtlety, here."

Their smiles disappeared as, one by one, their eyes began to widen with realization.

Nathan blinked, "M…R…Lynn. You're…"

"Yes!" the old man exclaimed. He suddenly rose off the ground and began hovering high above them. The chamber around them grew dark as their teacher became shrouded in a white-blue aura. As the aura began to glow brighter, stray bolts of lightning struck around the space. The teens shielded their faces as a poor means of protecting themselves from the lightning. After one final flash, the aura dissipated. They looked up to see their teacher now clad in a flowing blue-gray robe. His dark gray beard appeared to be longer and, in his left hand, he held a long wooden wizard staff.

"_I am the great and powerful Merlin_!" he boomed in an echoingly loud voice. He suddenly began to slowly descend to the floor below. As he continued to speak, his volume returned to normal.

"And I am in need of your aid," he said as he landed. The five could not believe their eyes. They stared at the wizard with slacked jaws and buggy eyes.

"You guys saw that, too, right?" Carlie asked.

"Your eyes do not deceive you. What you saw was real. Magic is real. _I_ am real," Merlin explained.

"So," Rachael began, "The story you told us. The five pieces Morgana has left to find—"

"Yes. Unfortunately, that is true as well. And it's happening here, in Toelcam Creek." They all paused and let that statement sink in. After a brief moment of silence, Wade spoke up.

"But what do you need our help for?" he inquired, "You said it yourself. You're the _great and powerful_ Merlin. Why does an almighty wizard need help from a bunch of kids?" The old man sighed. He turned and walked toward the miniature library. The teens followed.

"Well, truthfully, when King Arthur gave me the task of protecting the Excalibur shards, I thought for certain I would be able to do it alone. Having known Morgana well in the past, I thought that she would be of no issue. However, I severely underestimated her capabilities. No matter how many times we fought, she would still prevail in finding the pieces I hid. And, despite her constant successes, I remained stubborn and reminded myself that Arthur granted this task to me and me alone." As he spoke, Merlin brushed his fingers along one of the bookshelves and eventually grabbed a tome from it. He opened it and began flipping through its many pages. The wizard continued.

"Now, with so few pieces left for me to protect, I have grown desperate. And, as you all know, desperate times call for desperate measures. I realize now that I cannot complete my mission alone and I need help more than ever. I am in need of warriors; modern-day knights that can act as defenders of both the pieces and the innocents that get in Morgana's way. However, the knights of old are all but forgotten." Merlin stops on a page in his book and shows the students a faded picture of five color-coded individuals lofting swords above their heads.

"What I need…are Power Rangers."

Eddie lightly chuckled, "Power Rangers. As in the guys who fight monsters in rainbow tights and helmets?"

"Correct," Merlin affirmed.

"And you want us to be them?" Nathan asked.

"Exactly," the old man grinned.

"And what if we say no?" Rachael questioned.

"Well, you don't have much of a choice. You have already been chosen by your morphers."

"Our morphers?" inquired Carlie.

"You're watches," said Merlin as he motioned to their timepieces. They all looked at their devices in confusion.

"Why don't you reset your watches and you'll see what I mean." Although they may have hesitated at first, they all turned the small dial on their clocks' sides. As they each made one last turn, the watches suddenly began to glow the colors of their faces. In the blink of an eye, the colors ran up their arms to their heads to where their eyes were illuminated. Their minds were flooded with images they have never seen before, people that they have never met. Yet, at the same time they all seemed familiar. As quickly as they started, the blur of images ceased.

The teens reeled from the rushes to their brains. They looked down at themselves to find that their clothes have magically changed. Instead of their usual attire, they wore color-coded belted tunics with black trousers and boots. Hanging from their belts were scabbards filled with a single short sword.

They each looked back to their wrists, wondering what the timepieces did to them. However, they did not find their watches. In their places were what appeared to be a black leather gauntlet adorned with a colored piece of metal cut in the shape of a shield. Emblazoned upon each shield was a coat of arms, each one featuring a different animal.

"Behold, your Shield Morphers," said Merlin, "A remarkable marriage of magic and twenty-first-century technology. Complete with communications, image projection, and, yes, they do still tell time. But, the most defining features of these devices is that they were all refashioned from the actual shields wielded by the Knights of the Roundtable."

"You don't mean we're actually holding eleventh-century weapons?!" Eddie practically screamed, "How did you even get these?" Partially ignoring his question, the old man continued.

"I magically commanded each shield to choose a worthy individual who is like-minded and similarly attributed to the knight that previously carried it. Everyone, show me your morphers." After forming a single file line, all five teens held out their wrists one at a time. Merlin approached them and stopped in front of Carlie, whose yellow shield depicted a rearing stallion.

"Carlie Sinclair, you were chosen by the shield of Sir Bedivere, meaning that, like him, you have a kind, compassionate heart and value loyalty above all else. Bedivere was by far the most loyal knight to King Arthur, but he was also equally so with his friends and family. If he ever heard that someone he loved was in trouble, he would be by their side in the blink of an eye to help them. It is because of this that I name thee the Yellow Ranger."

Merlin then walked up to Wade, whose green shield exhibited an image of a charging boar.

"Wade Christopherson, you were selected by the shield of Sir Gawain, which means there is one major attribute you both share: strength. Gawain was one of the strongest knights to date. He was always a formidable and mighty force on the battlefield, able to cut through hordes upon hordes of foes as if it were nothing. However, Gawain was not just strong physically. He also had the strongest will. A will that nothing and no one could ever break by any means. It is because of these things that I dub thee the Green Ranger."

Merlin continued to Rachael, who had a speeding hare on her pink shield.

"Rachael Lorde, you were chosen by the shield of Sir Percival, which means that, like him, you embody the concept of perseverance. Whatever challenge Percival faced, no matter the odds, he would always find a way to push himself to victory. He was just as keen a fighter as Gawain, as he would constantly get back up when knocked down and would power through any and all wounds, almost as if he were invulnerable. Percival used his great tenacity to accomplish his mission of finding the Holy Grail, a task that too him years to complete. All of these things mean that you are to be named the Pink Ranger."

The wizard stepped in front of Eddie, whose shield featured an image of a flying owl.

"Edwin Reinhardt, you were selected by the shield of Sir Galahad, which means that your mind is your most powerful weapon. Galahad was no doubt the most intelligent and the wisest Knight of the Roundtable and he was, therefore, the honorary strategist. Every plan of action that he created guaranteed a victory for him and his friends. Whenever he fought in battle, he would use his intellect to his advantage and pick out the weaknesses of his opponents, as well as react swiftly to their attacks like he could see them coming beforehand. He was also a friend to turn to for advice. Any problem that was laid before him found a solution eventually. It is because of these things that I name you the Blue Ranger."

After finishing with Eddie, Merlin slowly approached Nathan. On his shield was the image of a howling wolf.

"And last, but certainly not least, Nathan Dale. You were chosen by the most important one of all: the shield of Sir Lancelot, meaning your sense of courage is unmatched by all. Lancelot was by far the bravest of the Knights. Far too many times have I seen him stare into the eyes of danger and laugh in its face. He was so valiant that, if a dragon approached him and let out a deafening roar, he would not cower. He would stand his ground and roar back more loudly. It was because of his valor that King Arthur himself named him the leader of the Knights of the Roundtable, and lead them he did, both magnificently and fearlessly. It is because of this that I dub thee the Red Ranger."

"The Knights have spoken. You will be their champions in the fight against Morgana. You have been given incredible powers. Powers that you can use to not only defend your town but defend the entire world and prevent it from plunging into darkness. As Rangers, you will act as beacons of hope for all to see. Paragons of truth, justice, and peace. Lights in the blackness of evil. You will be…Shining Knights."

Merlin smiled proudly at his Rangers as they processed what had just transpired.

"Okay, this is cool and all, but none of us know how to throw a punch, let alone beat up monsters. How are supposed to fight if we don't know how?" Eddie asked.

"I've planned for that. Those images that you saw when you activated your morphers? They were memories. Memories of the knights you represent, to be more exact. Your knight's skills and physical prowess, their "muscle memory" if you will, are currently being retained in your subconscious right this very minute. Once you enter combat, your newly acquired instincts will kick in."

"So _that's_ what those were," realized Carlie, "I thought I was hallucinating. I was seeing people I've never met and places I've never been, but they all felt so familiar…"

"These memories will not only help you in battle, but they can also be useful for counsel, as your knights have seen and done much. Their experiences might teach you valuable lessons."

"Huh, noted," Wade replied, "So exactly how do we work these morpher things? Do they come with instructions, or—"

"I b'lieve I can answer that," a gravelly voice called out from across the Armory. They turned around to see a short, bearded man. His four-foot tall, muscular frame was covered in leather, from his greaves, to the heavy apron draped over his front.

"Uhh…who're you?" Rachael inquired.

"I am Wayland, trusted blacksmith to King Arthur, and the creator of the Shield Morphers."

"You built these?" Nathan asked impressed.

"With m' bare hands, aye," the dwarf nodded.

"Wayland has been with me since the beginning. He will oversee constructing the weapons and armor you will use on your journey," said Merlin.

"I like the sound of that," Wade smirked.

"So, are we going to learn how to use these things or what?" urged Carlie. Suddenly, the sounds of war horns echoed throughout the chamber. Merlin walked briskly to the round table in the center of the room, with Wayland and the Rangers following close behind. With a wave of his hand, a map manifested on the tabletop. Out of the paper rose a three-dimensional scale model of Toelcam Creek and its surrounding forest.

"You might have to use them shortly," the wizard answered.

"What's going on?" asked Nathan. On the town model, miniature figures of people ran in terror from a hulking sasquatch monster stomping through the streets.

"Is that…Bigfoot?!" gasped Rachael.

"Yes! I knew he was real!" exclaimed Eddie.

"Not Bigfoot. That is Earth-Walker, Morgana's tracker. He scouts out new areas to pinpoint the locations of the Excalibur shards." They watched on as their fellow townspeople ran for cover. The monster spoke.

"Minions!" he yelled. Out of thin air, a swarm of hideous creatures appeared by his side. These creatures we as ugly as ugly could be with horns, claws, and tiny wings to prove it.

"What are those things?" Carlie asked.

"Targoyles, golems formed from sticky sludge rather than stone. They are from the legion of Morgana's second-in-command," Merlin replied. The monster continued.

"Spread out and keep these people busy! I have some pieces to find!" The Targoyles screeched in response and did as they were told. They chased after and terrorized the people of Toelcam Creek as the sasquatch went about his business.

"Somebody's gotta do something," said Wade.

"Agreed," affirmed Nathan, "If Merlin has been telling us the truth, we're our town's only hope. It's time to see what these new powers can do."

"I'm in," nodded Rachael.

"Me, too," said Carlie.

"Absolutely," added Eddie.

"Then, it is settled. Go! Go, Power Rangers! Be the heroes you were chosen to be!"

* * *

Earth-Walker strolled along holding a crystal in his hand. He held it up to various buildings as he went by. He heard Lady Morgana speak to him.

"The crystal will glow in the presence of a shard. Keep searching. Notify us if anything arises."

"As you command, my lady," he answered.

"Yo! Chewbacca!" a young voice shouted to him. He whipped around to see five adolescent humans running up to him. They stood in a line before him with faces of determination.

"What is this?" Earth-Walker asked, "Who are you?"

"We're the ones that are here to stop you," Nathan said back. The monster laughed.

"How adorable. I don't know whether to call you noble or foolish."

"Call us and find out."

"Very well. If it's a fight you want, a fight you shall get. Targoyles! Dispose of these children." Within seconds, the teens were surrounded by his grotesque foot-soldiers. The five readied themselves and stood in fighting stances.

"Attack!" Earth-Walker ordered.

The minions began to close in on them.

"Come on, guys. We can take them," Nathan encouraged, "CHARGE!" Upon Nathan shouting that final word, a small group of Targoyles were thrown onto their backs. That was just the opportunity they needed. All at once, the five teens ran to the mass, fists at the ready. They leaped and crashed into different sections of the circle.

"What was that, Nathan?" asked Wade as he punched a foe in the face.

"I don't know. But it was pretty awesome," he answered as he kicked a Targoyle in the stomach.

"It must be your new superpower that Merlin was talking about," suggested Eddie as he rolled between the legs of an enemy, "A sonic battle cry by the sound of it."

"Well, what are our powers?" inquired Rachael.

"Only one way to find out," Carlie replied. She pushed an assailant back and delivered a forceful kick to its rear. With much ferocity, Carlie whipped back and forth punching and dodging Targoyles as they began to swarm her. As she went in for another hit, she felt a stinging pain in her wrist. An enemy had caught her arm and was digging its claws into her skin. She tried to pull away, but the Targolye was too strong. While she was distracted, another creature grabbed hold of her other arm, completely restraining her. As she struggled to break free of their grips, she looked to see a third Targoyle rushing toward her with a roar. The foe leaped into the air, claws and teeth poised to tear into her. In a last-ditch effort, she closed her eyes and started to run. Almost immediately, she felt her hands release from the holds of her captors. She opened her eyes to realize that she was twenty feet away from where she started. Looking back, she saw the three Targoyles lying pained in a heap on the ground. She laughed, long enough for another opponent to race up behind her for a turn. The monster reeled back to strike, but she noticed in the nick of time. She ducked, barely missing the assailant's claws. She ran forward to escape another attack and found herself moving at blinding speed. She skidded to a stop, but not before ramming into several more Targoyles.

"Whoa!" she exclaimed, "Did you guys see that?!"

"A little busy here," Wade called back. He had problems of his own. As he fought more and more enemies, more just kept coming. Soon enough, he was completely encircled in the horde with absolutely no escape. One by one, the Targolyes rushed him. He punched and kicked away the first few, but it was not enough. There were too many. The creatures were soon all over him, imprisoning him in a frenzy of teeth and claws. It seemed like he was done for. But he would not let that happen. Summoning ever bit of strength that he could muster, he rose and busted out of the dogpile with a triumphant yell, sending the Targoyles flying every which way. The monsters quickly got back up and attempted to swarm him again. Wade grabbed the legs of a nearby enemy and spun him around in a circle, beating back any foe that got close. Wade spun faster and faster, until he finally let go. The Targoyle soared into the air and landed painfully on another, one that happened to be giving Rachael a hard time.

"Thanks for the assist!" Rachael chuckled. With a smile, she launched herself at another few enemies. She socked on Targoyle and kicked another. One sprinted up and attempted to claw at her, but she ducked and swung her leg into the monster's legs, causing it to fall to the ground. Before she could stand back up, one of the creatures took full advantage and tried to rip into her while she was still down. Instinctively, she raised her arms over her head to defend herself. She felt the claws, but not the pain they intended to cause. She looked up to see a very confused Targoyle staring at a light pink aura that now enveloped her arms. The beast retried his attempt and swung again. She still didn't feel it. With a smirk on her face, she stood up and struck the Targoyle right in the nose, knocking it flat on its back. She took a second to examine her arms. Not a scratch. It was almost as if the aura protected her, like some kind of forcefield.

"Huh, neat," she said. She looked to her side to see Eddie struggling with his own mass of foes. Three of them had him backing up as they were starting to get a little too close. Eddie tried to keep his distance, but the three continued to close the gap. Little did he know that a fourth was racing up behind him to take him by surprise. Or did he? In the back of his mind, he could feel the enemy approaching. He didn't have to see it. He knew it was there. Right as the Targoyle got close enough to grab him, he leaped into the air, backflipping out of the monster's way. Instead of attacking him, the charging Targoyle barreled into the three others, sending them to the ground like a bowling ball with some pins. Upon landing safely on his feet, Eddie looked upon the damage.

"Yeesh. That had to hurt."

Earth-Walker watched on as the amount of his Targoyle minions soon began to dwindle. How were these children winning? Hardly anyone could handle their vast numbers. How were they doing it? He couldn't think of an answer, but he knew he had to do something. He reached behind his head to pull out a massive wooden club from his harness of vinery.

"Enough of this!" the sasquatch shouted as he slammed his club on the concrete, sending a shockwave in the teens' direction. The ground under them immediately cracked and crumbled. The force of the slam threw each of them into a small pile. As they writhed in pain, Earth-Walker stepped towards them, club in hand.

"If you want something done correctly, you must do it yourself, it seems." The heroes quickly stood up and took their stances.

"Oh yeah? Bring it on, Fluffy!" Nathan yelled back, "Get him!" All at once, they charged at their awaiting opponent.

* * *

**A/N: Yes. I know we didn't see them morph, yet. But, if i did put in the morphing sequences, this thing would be significantly longer, and I'm trying to stay at a word limit. But don't fret. Morphin time _will _occur in the next chapter. I promise.**

**Freak out,**

**Lusus**


	5. Chapter 4--It's Morphin' Time!

**A/N: Lusus here. I am SO sorry for the lateness of this chapter. Writers' block and a school semester don't mix well. You know how it is. But, nevertheless, it's finally time. Time for the big reveal. It's Morphin' Time, baby! Enjoy!**

* * *

As the battle ensued in the middle of town, Morgana and her generals sat in the comfort of their Sanctum and watched everything that transpired through a large, central crystal ball.

"How is this possible?!" Gollumus fumed.

"They tore right through those Targoyles," the minotaur said.

"Who are these kids? And where did they get abilities like that?" asked the goblin.

"Obviously, they are allied with Merlin," Morgana answered, "But why would the old fool ask a group of adolescents for help? It doesn't make any sense."

"Should one of us go and help him, my lady?" inquired Gollumus.

"No. Earth-Walker is no fighter, but he can still hold his own in battle. I am sure he will be fine," she replied. "Besides, I am curious as to see what these children can do, what they are capable of."

"As you command," the gargoyle sighed.

"However," the sorceress continued, "should anything escalate, I will allow him the granting of more Targoyles. But _only_ if the situation calls for it. Is that understood?"

"Incredibly so, your wickedness."

"Go then. Watch from afar and do not yourself intervene." Gollumus bowed in response. He then proceeded to melt his hulking monstrous form into a large puddle of goopy black ooze, which dissipated almost instantly.

* * *

The black mass of tar suddenly gurgled to life upon a roof in Downtown Toelcam. Gollumus roes up and began to reform his body from the ooze until he was back to his usual, horrifying gargoyle self. From his perch, he looked to see the ongoing battle between his colleague and those five pests that believed themselves to be heroes. Gollumus watched on as he witnessed Earth-Walker bash his assailants left and right, throwing them back every which way. He appeared to be winning. This made the gargoyle grin.

_"These children don't have a chance. This skirmish will be over in no time, and then we shall continue on as planned."_

* * *

"Ahhhh!" Nathan screamed as he was launched, yet again, by one of the sasquatch's mighty blows. He soared about twenty feet and landed roughly on his back. As he sat himself up, he looked to see that his friends were not fairing any better than he was. Eddie was punted one way. Carlie was thrown another. Rachael and Wade were both knocked backward by Earth-Walker's club. It seemed like their enemy was almost untouchable. None of them could even get close, let alone make a dent.

_"This isn't working," _Nathan thought to himself, _"He's too strong. How are we supposed to beat him?"_

"Rangers!" Merlin telepathically called to them, "Use your Morphers. It is your only chance to defeat Earth-Walker. To activate them, use the incantation: 'Shining Knights, Armor Up.'"

"Got it. Thanks, Merlin."

"Do not give up. I know you can do it," the wizard encouraged.

"Come on, guys!" Nathan yelled. Eddie, Rachael, Wade, and Carlie picked themselves up off the ground and ran to his side. They all stood in a single file line, now more determined than ever.

"What is this?" Earth-Walker interrogate, "Get back here and fight!"

"Let's do it. What time is it?!"

"IT'S MORPHIN' TIME!"

Their watches began to glow. With a flash of light, they changed to their Morphers.

"Shields up!" Nathan shouted. All five of them slammed their fists onto their shields and held them aloft.

"Ready!" they all called at once, "Shining Knights, Armor Up!" They reached out their shields and they were instantly transported. They have now entered the Morphin' Grid.

* * *

Carlie, dressed in her yellow tunic, stood alone in a large chamber. Surrounding her were dark yellow walls, littered with golden weapons. She maintained her stance, holding out her morpher-clad wrist. A bright, yellow light began emanating from her miniature shield. In front of her, her shield projected a larger version of itself, one that stood nearly ten feet tall. The giant shield suddenly split itself down the middle, right through its horse emblem. Like doors, the two sides opened outward, revealing inside a full set of yellow-tinted medieval armor.

Carlie sprinted toward the armor and leapt into the air, performing several flips. The shield closet sealed its doors shut and tipped itself backwards, as if creating a landing pad for her. On the shields surface, a mystical yellow energy manifested and shaped itself to form a set of boots. Upon making one last flip, Carlie stuck her landing directly into the boots, causing them to glow more brightly on impact. As the glow slowly traveled up her legs, two mystical gauntlets formed, floating at both of her sides One by one, shot her hands into the gauntlets, illuminating them similarly to the boots.

As all of the magical energy from the boots and gauntlets completely enveloped her body, she broke free from the light, shattering it to reveal her yellow ranger suit underneath. Finally, above her appeared a _barbute_-style war helm, one with a vertical mouth slit meeting a horizontal eye slit. The sideways slits curved and ended in points to resemble eyes. She reached up her hands, grabbed the helm and placed it over her head. After a flash of light, the helm transformed into her ranger helmet. Her morph complete, she saluted by putting her arm over her chest.

"By the Shield of Sir Bedivere! Yellow Shining Knight Ranger!"

* * *

Now changed into his tunic, Wade stood in room similar to that of Carlie, with the exception that every wall and weapon was shaded with a dark green. Still in his activation stance, his shield began to glow intensely, projecting a massive duplicate of itself in front of him. Like Carlie's, the ten-foot shield split itself down the middle, separating the boar emblem into two halves. The doors swung wide open to revealing a complete set of green-tinted armor. Wade charged at the armor and bounded into the air. As he did so, the shield-shaped wardrobe slammed themselves closed and fell on its back, projecting a pair of boots constructed of green magical energy.

After a session of flipping, he landed squarely into the boots and the energy started slowly creeping up his legs. At his sides, two energy gauntlets manifested. One at a time, he threw his arms into the gloves. As the magic completely covered his body, he jerked his arms and broke free of the prison of light, uncovering the super suit beneath. Over his head appeared a helm. Its eyes slits were practically non-existent, as the entirety of the visor was wide and rounded and never split off horizontally. He took the helm and placed it onto his head. A light shined and his ranger helmet took its place. He saluted just as Carlie did.

"By the Shield of Sir Gawain! Green Shining Knight Ranger!"

* * *

Everything surrounding Rachael was colored with a dark pink hue. Every weapon, every wall, even her tunic. Lofting her Morpher, her shield glowed ever so brilliantly, she projected a large replica of itself before her. Splitting through the middle of its hare emblem, the doors of the shield flung themselves open, exhibiting a pink-tinted armor inside of it. She ran at the armor and leapt into the air. Instantly, the wardrobe slammed itself shut and careened onto its back. Upon landing, the shield began to emanate a pair of boots molded from pink mystical energy.

With one last display of acrobatic expertise, she made her landing in the boots, causing the magic to crawl up her legs. Two magically-constructed gauntlets suddenly appeared at her sides. One after the other, she shot her hands into the gauntlets, eliciting them the same reaction as the boots. As the energy completely covered her body, she tensed up her arms and broke herself free, revealing her pink suit beneath. Finally, a helm manifested above her head. Its eye slits had very round, circular curves, almost resembling a heart or the leaves of a clover. She reached up, grabbed the helm, and gently placed it over her head. Light flashed around it and her ranger helmet stood in its place. She saluted.

"By the Shield of Sir Percival! Pink Shining Knight Ranger!"

* * *

Wearing his tunic, Eddie stood alone in a massive, dark blue chamber. Gleaming blue weapons lined the walls. He held out his wrist, the shield attached to it glowing brightly. The shield began to project a larger replica of itself in from of him. Suddenly, the giant duplicate split itself directly down its middle, right through the owl emblem emblazoned upon it. The doors swung open to reveal a full set of armor, tinted with a pleasing blue hue. Breaking his stance, he barreled towards the armor and launched himself skyward. The wardrobe instantly sealed itself shut and tipped itself back, slamming onto the ground behind it. Upon its impact, the shield began to form a pair of boots with magical blue energy.

With one last rotation, Eddie made his decent and landed directly into the boots. As the mystical glow traveled up his legs, two energy-formed gauntlets manifested at both of his sides. He shot his hands one at a time into them, making their light crawl up his arms. Once his body was completely shrouded with energy, he broke himself free. Now clothed in his ranger uniform, a helm manifested itself above him. The eye slits were rather simple, as they rounded themselves out at the ends creating an ovular shape. A light flashed his ranger helmet replaced the helm. He placed his arm over his chest in salute.

"By the Shield of Sir Galahad! Blue Shining Knight Ranger!"

* * *

Now garbed in his red tunic, Nathan held his stance and lofted his Morpher. Surrounding him were dozens of red weapons displayed upon dark red walls. His shield shined with the brightest of lights and it began to project a larger version of itself before him. It split itself down its center, right through its wolf emblem. The doors of the shield threw themselves open to reveal the complete set of red-tinted armor hung up inside it. Nathan then sprinted as fast as he could towards the armor and vaulted into the air, performing a wide array of flips and tricks. As he did so, the shield's doors flung themselves closed and leaned itself back, causing it to fall forcefully onto the ground. As it landed, a pair of boots formed from red magical energy were projected from its surface.

After one final aerial turn, Nathan landed squarely into the boots, making the energy slowly creep up his legs. To his sides, two red glowing gauntlets constructed from the same energy as the boots appeared. He shoots his hands into them, first his right, then his left. Once the magical energy enveloped his entire body, he broke free and shattered the light to show his ranger uniform underneath it. Above him, a helm suddenly appeared. The ends of eye slits were rectangular, simple yet effective. He reached up and grabbed the helm. He placed it onto his head and with a bright flash of light, his ranger helmet took its place. He saluted in the same manner as his team.

"By the Shield of Sir Lancelot! Red Shining Knight Ranger!"

* * *

"So that was what that fool Merlin was planning," Morgana fumed, "He's tapped into the bloody Morphin' Grid! He's created—"

"Power Rangers?!" Earth-Walker gasped.

"Impossible!" Gollumus exclaimed.

The Rangers were just as amazed as they were. They looked themselves up and down, admiring their uniforms. Each suit featured approximately the same design, despite their differing colors. Their arms and legs were adorned with what appeared to be a silver chainmail, over which they wore colored gloves and thigh-high boots. Their main chest pieces resembled their tunics, but these exhibited a pattern that somewhat resembled an eight-point star or compass rose. In the center of the star was the shape of a shield, their Morphers' shield to be more specific, each one differing in number of points at the top, supposedly displaying rank: one point for Carlie, two for Wade, three for Rachael, four for Eddie, and five for Nathan. At their sides, short swords hung their belts.

"Whoa, guys! Check us out!" Wade marveled.

"Look at us. This is so cool!" Rachael squealed.

"I can feel the power running through me," Eddie added, "It kinda tickles."

"I can't believe this is happening," Carlie said.

"I feel so much stronger. Strong enough to take this guy down! Line up guys!" Nathan commanded. They followed his order.

"Beacons of hope, we light up the darkness! For the honor of the King!" he yelled.

"POWER RANGERS SHINING KNIGHTS!"

* * *

**A/N: Yes, I know it's short. (It's what you do with it that counts.) And I know I'm dragging this first fight out like a DragonBall writer, but it's been a while since my last update and I **_**needed**_** to put something out for you guys. Get a monkey off my back, as it were. I will finish this fight in the next chapter. Scout's honor. Also, get a good look at these morphing sequences. This is the one and _only_ time I will write them.**

**Freak out, **

**Lusus.**


	6. Announcement

**Greetings all. Lusus here. **

**I have an announcement, so I need all of you to stop what you're doing and listen! **_**Power Rangers: Shining Knights**_** is regrettably going on a temporary hiatus. The reason why is because my colleague, Hornet, and I are currently in the process of remastering and rewriting our very first fic, **_**Soldiers of Fortune**_** (based on the Rooster Teeth show RWBY). Based on our plans and outlines, there is a lot of work to be put into this remaster and I feel like my focus would more efficient if I have only one fic on my plate rather than two. I apologize to all who have been following and enjoying my story. It sincerely pains me to disappoint you. And I know the Rangers have not even ended their first fight yet. Believe me, I am very well aware of that, but I did say that this hiatus is only temporary, so somewhere in the future (though I don't know when) I will get back to writing **_**Shining Knights**_** again, so you guys can get back to enjoying. I assure you, you have not seen the last of this story. I will post any and all updates concerning the life of this fic on the HornetFreak profile. If anything serious comes up, I will post using the fic itself (like what I am doing now). Thank you so much for reading, hang in there, and may the Power protect you.**

**Freak out,**

**Lusus.**

**TL;DR – Story on hiatus until further notice (and I'm very apologetic about it). **


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